


Starlight Express

by A_Modern_Girl



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Episode Fix-It: s07e25 Endgame (Star Trek: Voyager), F/M, Homecoming Ball, JC Tropefest, Mention of C/7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23264659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Modern_Girl/pseuds/A_Modern_Girl
Summary: For Captain Janeway, Voyager’s homecoming ball is full of misunderstandings and opportunities.  Cute with a side of angst. Rated teen for language.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Comments: 28
Kudos: 76
Collections: Janeway/Chakotay Trope fics





	Starlight Express

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you [Caladenia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caladenia) for the beta and for giving me the second part of the summary ;) Huge thanks to [Bizarra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bizarra) for organizing this fest, which has been so fun to read and write!

Kathryn Janeway sat back in her seat, letting the gentle motion of the rail car soothe her nerves. The scientific part of her brain knew there was no reason a rail car should sway in the 24th century - it was an anachronism, an indulgence. She also knew she was distracting herself from the truth. It was supposed to be her night of victory: Voyager's homecoming ball. Instead, it had been a disaster.

Maybe it would have been better if she had brought a date. An impressive array of men had offered to escort her to the ball. Some were old acquaintances and some were new, intriguing possibilities, but every time she thought about another man's hand on her back or an insincere good night kiss, she stopped herself from hitting reply. Besides, what business did they have inviting her to what was effectively her own party?

So Kathryn had arrived alone. Her gold satin ball gown embraced her every curve, and she’d paired it with her favorite bright red lipstick. She felt all the eyes in the room on her as she made her rounds, hugging her crew and meeting their families. 

But when most of the others turned back to their own conversations, she felt one set of eyes continue to follow her. They burned though her back as she drank her champagne too quickly, locked on to her as she waltzed with an elderly admiral. She felt his gaze even when he was attending to his tall, blonde, beautiful date. Eventually Kathryn fled to the terrace hoping the cool night air would clear her head.

Unfortunately, the man who had been watching her all evening followed her there.

“Are you all right?” Chakotay asked lightly.

“I'm fine,” she lied, employing the even tone that had served her so well over the years.

It had never fooled him before, and he fixed her with a disappointed look, “Come on Kathryn, what's wrong? I'm not going to drag it out of you.”

“No, that's not your job anymore, is it?” she snapped.

Chakotay's surprised expression was quickly replaced with anger, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

What was wrong with her, she wondered. She would have been content to avoid Chakotay indefinitely. Instead, she was provoking a confrontation neither of them needed. But he had asked, and she decided in that split second to answer honestly. “Seven is no good for you. And you're wrong for her too.”

Chakotay rocked on his heels and took a breath. “What gives you any right?” he ground out.

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. He hadn't refuted her statement, which was telling for a man so careful with his words. She chose her next ones as deliberately.

“Seven is my friend,” she said, “and you are my best friend. If I can't tell you, who can?”

“I'm your best friend?” Chakotay said, shaking his head, “Sometimes I have no idea what I am to you.”

Kathryn felt her heart plummet to the floor. He couldn't have hurt her more if he tried.

“Then what am I to you?” she asked, anguished.

She took a step closer to him so he couldn't avoid her gaze. “You look at me,” she hissed. “Even when you should be looking at her. What am I supposed to think?”

Chakotay closed what little remained of the gap between them, his eyes dark and dangerous, “After all this time, you want me to spell it out for you?”

They were so close now she could feel the heat radiating from his body. She wondered if he could hear her heart pounding. Unbidden, her gaze flitted from his eyes to his lips and back again. The anger in his eyes seemed to be replaced by something else, something Kathryn couldn't identify.

The moment was broken when fireworks started pounding overhead. Suddenly, their former crew were rushing out onto the terrace from all sides. Chakotay turned when Seven called his name, and Kathryn saw her chance. As quickly and quietly as she could, she made her way to the far end of the terrace and left the hall. The fireworks had captivated the entire crowd, and she escaped unseen.

Where to go next? It was a long walk back to her apartment in heels. She could transport to Indiana, and tell her mother what an asshole her former first officer was. She hesitated. The truth was, there was no place she wanted to be.

Somehow, between the bursts of the fireworks overhead, she heard a train whistle. During the seven years they had been gone, someone, in a fit of whimsy, had recreated the Coastal Starlight train. She had heard several crewmen discussing it when she had first entered the hall. Just like it’s ancient counterpart, the train ran from Los Angeles to Seattle treater riders to ocean views to the south and lush forests to the north. The station was only a block away, and suddenly it seemed like the perfect night for a ride. She removed her heels and ran for it.

“Can I make it?” she asked at the old-fashioned ticket booth.

The attendant nodded and helped her reserve an unoccupied sleeper car. The southbound train wouldn’t depart until the next morning, it was the northbound train she had just barely caught. She had been dreaming of boardwalks in Los Angeles, but it didn’t really matter, she decided. It was about the journey. Ticket secure, she rushed to the platform and hopped on. She was still breathing hard as the train chugged out of the terminal, and then rode faster and faster into the night.

She watched, quiet and still, as the city faded around her. Her mind, which had been racing all evening, was mercifully quiet. The streetlights became more sparse until there were none at all, Kathryn strained her eyes to see houses through the trees. Little homes full of families, she imagined. The guilt started to creep in then. She had abandoned her own Voyager family that evening, and for what? Who was she hiding from, her first officer or herself? 

The train pulled into a stop somewhere near the Oregon border. She debated getting off and returning to San Francisco via transporter, but she couldn't bring herself to get up yet. This was the most alone she had been in over seven years, and she was drawn to the novelty of it. No one knew where she was. She was not responsible for anyone’s safety, or happiness. Her thoughts were entirely her own.

She sighed contentedly as the train pulled away again, and resumed her vigil at the window. She’d stay the night, she decided, and transport back from Seattle in the morning. No one would be the wiser. Her crew could enjoy the party, and she could continue to enjoy her first real taste of solitude.

Suddenly, the door to her cabin rumbled and opened. Her first thought was that she didn't have a phaser to defend herself, her second was that this was Earth and phasering other passengers was probably discouraged. She mentally groaned. Apparently, she was not meant to stay alone for long.

She looked up to appraise her new travel companion and barely stopped her mouth from falling open. Standing in the doorway, still in a tuxedo, was Chakotay. He sidestepped through the narrow door and sat down on the bench across from her. Kathryn tried to search for her anger from earlier in the night, but only found startled amusement. Chakotay, for his part, looked almost unbearably smug. She decided to go on the offensive.

“Took you awhile,” she said, raising an eyebrow to him.

“I stopped for a couple things first,” he replied cheerfully, “I figured by now you'd be a bit tired of that gorgeous dress and want something more comfortable.”

Kathryn’s eyes widened as he reached into a bag and produced a full change of clothes for her. He was right, she realized, she was done with the dress. Chakotay looked even more satisfied with himself as she snatched them greedily. She stood to find the restroom to change, but turned back when another thought occurred.

“What's to prevent me from taking the clothes and getting a site-to-site transport somewhere else?” she asked him.

His answer was to reach back into the bag and produce two paper cups and a bottle of red wine. He extended the label in her direction. Even from across the car, she could see it was one of her favorites. She let out a huff of annoyance.

“See you in a few minutes,” he said, playful eyes glued to the window the same way hers had been.

Kathryn spun on her heel and marched to the restroom. Once there, she quickly discarded the dress and shrugged on the jeans. A soft moan of pleasure escaped as she pulled the comfy sweater over her head. He'd gotten her size exactly right, which didn't bother her like she'd expected. If it came down to it, she figured she could do the same for him. 

Unpinning her hair and wiping off her makeup took only a few moments. Yes, the dress had been stunning, she thought, but now she looked like herself. Although the clothes were newly replicated, the bag must not have been, because she could smell something of Chakotay on her new outfit. She hugged the sweater for one brief moment before catching herself. She rolled her eyes at her reflection and then returned to the car.

Chakotay smiled a welcome and started uncorking the wine. Kathryn put a hand over his to stop him.

“Go and change, if you want,” she offered, “I'll be here when you get back.”

Chakotay's gaze was focused on their hands, and he didn't reply.

“Not that you aren't devastatingly handsome in that tuxedo,” she added, removing her hand and returning to her seat.

This seemed to break whatever spell he was under, and he shook his head and grinned. He set down the wine but held on to the corkscrew.

“I'm keeping this so you can't start without me,” he said as he left.

She chuckled in response and sat back. She tried to pick out the houses in the distance, but she couldn’t concentrate. She had tried to play it cool, but the butterflies in her stomach told a different story. What was he doing here? Why, after everything they had said to each other, would he want to seek her out? Where was his date?

“Still devastatingly handsome, I hope?” he asked as he sat down across from her.

She sighed at the sight of her first officer in a dark sweater and tan slacks. He looked the way Kathryn imagined in her dreams - the dreams where they had met in some other place, and some other time, without complications like protocol and duty. 

“Always,” she replied, for once letting the depth of her feelings show in her tone.

Chakotay looked surprised - finally, she had caught him off guard. Kathryn decided to press her advantage. “How did you know I was here?” she asked.

“Do you mean, did I have to bypass protocol and get someone to scan for your biosigns? No. I could see the train from the terrace, and when I watched it pull away, I knew you were there. I confirmed it with the attendant before transporting up at the last stop, though, just to be sure.”

“And here I thought I was being utterly spontaneous,” she drawled.

His nod was solemn, but his eyes were full of mischief, "Where are we going anyway? It’s like the uncertainty principle - I knew where you were, but not where you were going."

"What about Seven?" Kathryn asked, unable to help herself.

"She's covering for us at the ball," he paused, "I don't know what you heard, but we were there as friends. I accompanied her to help her navigate the crowd and fend off any unwanted advances."

Kathryn sat there in shock. Chakotay finished uncorking the wine and handed her a cup. Her hand trembled slightly as she took it, but his were perfectly still. A small, gentle smile played at his lips, tempering his earlier smugness.

“Surprised?” he asked.

“At the risk of violating the temporal prime directive…”

Chakotay shook his head, “Don’t bother. It’s true that Seven and I were seeing each other for a short time. But getting back to the Alpha Quadrant changed everything. Where I saw an opportunity to build a home, she saw infinite diversity in infinite combinations. We parted as friends. So you weren't wrong, you were just-"

"Kind of an asshole about it?" Kathryn interrupted.

Chakotay grinned, "You said it, not me."

They sat quietly for a moment. While Kathryn believed they both could have communicated better, she knew she was the one who had always kept him at arm's length. It was time to fix that, she decided.

"Can we try this again?" she asked, "No rank, no parameters - just us?"

Chakotay gazed evenly back at her. 

"To us, then," he said quietly, raising his cup.

They toasted and Kathryn took a long sip. Even in the less than ideal vessel, it was the best drink she'd had all night.

"Now will you tell me where we're going?" Chakotay asked again.

"Seattle. Have you ever been?"

Chakotay shook his head.

"You'll like it," Kathryn said, "The mountains, the music scene, the water…"

"The coffee?" he interjected.

"Yes, that too," she smiled.

"Sounds like a nice weekend then, if you're in?"

Kathryn paused to scan his face and marvelled at how lucky she was.

"I'm in," she replied softly.

Summoning courage she didn't know she had, Kathryn rose from her seat and sat right next to Chakotay. Her heart sped up when he responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you for coming after me," Kathryn said.

"I will always come for you," he replied.

"Good," she said with a smile.

Kathryn expected him to turn back towards the window, but he didn't. So, when the railcar gently swayed just right, she leaned over and kissed him. His lips were so soft and warm that she found that she couldn't stop. Together, they unraveled seven years of frustration and pain with tender touches and sloppy kisses. Eventually, the harsh angle of the bench forced them to separate. Kathryn reluctantly returned to her cot, but she held Chakotay’s hand across the gap until she fell asleep.

The next morning, they arrived in Seattle, not realizing they would never really leave. Over the years, they would entertain their old crewmates and friends at their house on Bainbridge Island, and deal with the inevitable question - why there? In response, they would say that it was the right distance from Starfleet - not too close, but not too far. It was a half truth, but it worked.

And the precious few times they met someone who didn't know who they were, they would say they met on a train.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by "Different Names for the Same Thing" by Death Cab for Cutie. Thanks for reading!


End file.
